


Cubicles

by stellarose_pictureshow



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-10-02 16:09:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17267219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarose_pictureshow/pseuds/stellarose_pictureshow
Summary: Frank Iero and Gerard Way work together. Gerard is terribly in love with Frank, but Frank is in a relationship of his own.





	1. Chapter 1

Frank Iero stepped into work.

Despite the humidity of the closed-in office, he shivered. Used tissues peeked out from the pocket of his dress shirt. His nose ran, his eyes watered, his throat itched. He slowly made for his usual cubicle, hoping that no one would look his way. 

However, Gerard Way's eyes had been trained on him since the door opened.

"Are you okay?" Gerard whispered once Frank was within earshot. "You don't look so good."

Frank sped up his pace and slipped into his cubicle. Gerard, whose own cubicle sat to the left of Frank's, wasn't deterred. He stepped on his chair and leaned over to Frank's side. 

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm sick. I think I'll be alright, though. Work's only eight more hours."

Frank truly believed he could power through the day. Despite what he'd been told, working for a storage unit company simply didn't require too much effort. He and Gerard worked for Storage U, one of the most successful storage unit companies in the United States. Frank often wondered, if working for the most successful storage unit didn't require any effort, what did?

Gerard frowned. "You shouldn't be coming to work if you're sick. Maybe you should go home."

"No, can't," Frank said, then shook his head. "Mark thinks it's best that I don't miss work." His gaze shifted downward, and he began logging onto his computer. 

Frank had been dating Mark for years, and Gerard never failed to wonder why. He'd heard the expression "opposites attract," but in what world did someone as cold and demanding as Mark get to date someone like Frank, and Gerard didn't? 

Gerard attempted a neutral expression, but didn't achieve it. "Isn't he at work around now? You could totally slip back home and sleep a couple hours, right?" 

There was a moment of silence, and Gerard was afraid that Frank hadn't heard him. He really didn't want to repeat his sentence.

Finally, after a heavy sigh, Frank brought his gaze back up to Gerard. "Mark doesn't work anymore. He thinks I make enough for both of us."

This time, Gerard didn't care whether his expression gave away how angry he was. "He can't do that. You shouldn't have to come to work every day, while he lounges around all day, spending your money!"

Rather disruptively, Frank sneezed. "Gerard, please stop. There's no point in making things worse."

-

At the end of the work day, Brendon Urie stepped out of his office. For a moment, he surveyed the office, nodding in approval once he realized everything was running smoothly.

"It's five o' clock!" he shouted. Each employee's head shot up in unison. "Enjoy your evenings, everyone."

Brendon was a decent boss. A bit different or odd, perhaps, but he had formed a good relationship with employees throughout the years, and nobody could imagine the office without him.

Gerard waited until the room filled with ambiance again, then walked over to Frank's cubicle. A pile of tissues had claimed a corner of his desk, and Frank himself held a tissue box. 

"Hey, Frank, call Mark and tell him you're working late," Gerard said, already picking up Frank's phone for him. "Believe me, this is for your own good."

Frank and Gerard had hung out after work on numerous occasions. However, they had never felt the need to keep it from Mark. If anything, Mark was the father figure in these scenarios, constantly breathing over Frank's neck and making sure he got home on time. 

"What?" Frank said, sounding more congested than ever. "What are you up to?"

"Just call him and say you'll be here for a couple more hours," Gerard pleaded, "I know you're sick, but I promise this'll be worthwhile. Trust me."

So Frank dialed Mark's number. Gerard simply watched, steadying his hand on the back of Frank's chair. 

"Hey, baby," Mark said after picking up on the third ring. Gerard recoiled at the sound of his voice. "I can't wait until you come home. I've got something special planned for us." 

"Uh, I'm sick, Mark," Frank began. Gerard cleared his throat. "Oh, uh, anyway, I have to work late today. We're opening a bunch of new units today, it's crazy."

"How late?" Mark questioned without missing a beat. "And I don't care that you're sick. If you can go to work just fine, you can come home and have fun with me just fine."

Gerard hadn't even noticed his hand ball up into a fist. How was Mark so effortlessly terrible? 

"I don't know how late," Frank replied, ignoring that last part. "A couple hours, I don't know. I'm sorry."

A heavy sigh cut through Mark's end of the line. "Alright. Whatever. Just call me when you're on your way home. What I have planned is great, you're gonna love it."

"Mark, I kind of just want to rest," Frank tried, but the phone had already hung up.

They sat in silence. Most of the office had cleared. Only Brendon was left, pulling his coat on and gathering his things. Gerard wanted to apologize to Frank for being treated so horribly, but he figured it would only make things worse. Perhaps it was best to ignore Mark's nastiness for now. 

"So," Frank looked up at Gerard from his chair. "What are we doing?"

Gerard smiled.

-

"I'll pick you up in the morning," Gerard offered to Frank, who sat in the passenger seat of Gerard's 1979 Pontiac Trans Am. The smell of cherry air freshener was harsh, but in an odd way, Frank liked the way it stung his nostrils. They'd left Frank's car behind in the office parking lot after determining that Frank was "too sick to drive."

"Yeah, sounds good," Frank agreed. He leaned into his arm and coughed. "I'll take it tomorrow after work. Anyway, where are we going?"

"My apartment," Gerard explained. "If you can't get rest in your own house, I'm making sure you'll get it somewhere."

"Oh, Gerard, you don't have to do that. Thank y-" 

Frank sneezed.

"Bless you."

-  
Gerard placed a blanket on his living room couch. Then he began plumping a pillow. Frank, wrapped in another one of Gerard's blankets, stood by and waited.

"Okay," Gerard said. "All set."

As he set himself down on Gerard's couch, Frank couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. After all, he'd never done something this kind for Gerard. As he slipped-almost unknowingly-into unconsciousness, he vowed to find the opportunity to do something just as nice.

Meanwhile, Gerard slipped off to his kitchen and prepared himself a mug of coffee. Flakes of snow began to stick to his window, and Gerard watched them with a pained expression. 

Why had Frank chosen Mark? And why did he continue to choose Mark? 

Frank didn't know how Gerard felt. He didn't even know that Gerard was gay. Perhaps that was unfair, to fall head over heels for a friend, and not even tell him, but what else was there to do?

Mark was the sort of person who didn't deserve love. Once he got ahold of it, he became possessive, abusive, and power-hungry. Or that was what Gerard thought.

Leaving a toxic relationship probably took time, and Gerard realized that. But what was taking Frank so long? Did he even want to leave? Did he realize that Mark was dragging him down?

-  
"Thanks for bringing him home," Mark said as he watched Gerard help Frank out of his car. Though he'd slept soundly for a couple of hours, Frank's sickness had gotten anything but better. It had gotten to the point where he could hardly walk. His head might as well have been a ten pound bowling ball. 

A large bank of snow had formed between the sidewalk and street, and it took all of Frank's effort to step over it.

"No problem," Gerard said. Mark had made no efforts to help Frank, and Gerard had noticed. "You want to take him now?"

"It's okay," Frank blurted out. He stumbled forward, freeing himself from Gerard's grasp on his arm. He hung his head, as though it were painful to even keep it up. "I've got it from here."

"Bye, Frank," Gerard said as he got into his car. He watched Frank stumble off toward his home, Mark beside him, hands stiffly at his sides. At the sound of Gerard's voice, Frank turned and smiled.

"Bye."


	2. Chapter 2

"Why are you acting so weird around me?"

"I'm not," Frank insisted, shoving his way past Mark and making his way to the kitchen. They'd been having the same argument for about an hour. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you trying to tell me I'm making things up?" Mark pressed, following Frank into the kitchen. "You never used to be like this. It's like you don't even want me to touch you."

"No," Frank said. He turned on the sink and removed the pile of dishes that had been sitting inside it. "I'm just telling you that I'm not acting weird around you. I'm the same as I've always been."

Mark rolled his eyes, turned, and walked away. Frank watched him go.

It had been around a year since Frank had fallen out of love with Mark. When they were younger, Mark had presented himself as a kind, charismatic guy who had a car and a job. However, after dating Mark for six months, Frank began to see some changes.

He learned that Mark was easily agitated. Whenever Frank disagreed with him in some way, Mark would sulk around their apartment for the rest of the day. He was controlling, lazy, and never understood why things weren't just handed to him. 

Frank couldn't break up with him because he couldn't afford to. Back when Mark's true personality hid behind a dazzling smile, they'd rented an apartment together. Even while Mark no longer worked, a portion of his savings went into the rent every month.

Also, Frank would have nowhere to stay. He'd lived in Belleville, New Jersey his entire life, but all of his high school friends had moved elsewhere. Even his parents moved to Boston once Frank graduated high school. He was alone in closed-in, unkempt Belleville. 

The closest friend he had in New Jersey was Gerard Way. A black-haired, clean-cut guy Frank met when he started working for a storage company at the far end of town. It had been labeled "the best storage units in North America," like anyone gave a damn about the best place to put their crap. 

Even Gerard wasn't a close enough friend to stay with, though. Frank truly had no other choice but to continue running himself into the ground. 

-  
"Attention, everyone!" Brendon Urie shouted in a sing-songy voice. "Everybody into the conference room, please."

Each employee looked up from whatever they were working on and began to stand. Frank and Gerard shared an amused look, as they often did whenever Brendon said anything. Brendon might have been a decently intelligent, efficient office manager, but he was also a walking joke. There was no world in which anyone took him seriously. There was no foreseeable change of this, but maybe if Brendon didn't sing all of his announcements, things would be different. 

 

Once everyone had gathered, and all attention was on him, Brendon smiled and pulled out his cellphone. 

"I just got a message from the CEO, and our company carnival is tonight. It's short notice, I know, but if you don't already have something planned, your attendance is mandatory. You can bring your families."

"I'm sorry, but are we really doing this in February?" Lindsey Ballato called from the back. Murmurs of general agreement followed. Most of the office liked to dub Lindsey the "female version of Gerard," but she begged to differ. While she had a much higher sales record than him, he could also never pull off red lipstick as good. 

"Seriously," Gerard agreed, "it just snowed two nights ago."

"Then wear a jacket!" Brendon said, then laughed a sort of laugh that sounded more frustrated than anything else. "I need to look good in front of the CEO, guys. I can't have nobody show up."

Nobody said anything, and Brendon's face began to fall. Frank and Gerard shared another look.

_You going?_ Gerard mouthed. Frank thought for a moment. 

" _Sure_ ," Frank whispered, then nodded toward Brendon. Gerard gave his own nod. 

"Hey, Brendon?" Gerard said. Brendon's head shot up. "Frank and I are going, in case you wanted to know." 

Brendon broke into a grin. He ran toward them, arms outstretched. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he cried, crushing Frank and Gerard in a hug. 

After the conversation had shifted into the details of later that night, Frank sat back and wondered whether Mark would want to go to the carnival. A part of him hoped not. At this point, Mark was sort of an embarrassment. 

-  
"You have to hold my hand." 

__

__

Frank and Mark were at the carnival's entrance. They were a bit late, but still, employees from branches all over New Jersey continued trickling in. 

"No, it's too cold," Frank said. "I'd rather have my hands in my pockets. Let's just go find my friends." 

"You are so annoying," Mark said, staying put. "You love to embarrass us, don't you?" 

"Do you think anyone cares?" Frank tried. He knew this wasn't a very big deal, but he really didn't want to hold Mark's hand. There was an eighty percent chance that Mark hadn't washed his hands in days. Frank would prefer frostbite. 

"I'm going home. I can't do this shit." 

"Come on, Mark," Frank said half-heartedly. Mark going home would actually be a dream. 

"You know, you're lucky I'm with you. Nobody else is going to love you. You're so hard to be around," Mark complained. "Find one of your coworkers to bring you home, or call me when you're done being a brat." 

Mark turned and headed toward his car. Frank watched him go. He didn't realize he was crying until warm tears hit his cheeks. In an attempt to collect himself, Frank took a few steps backward. Then he bumped into someone. 

"God, I'm so sorry," Frank said, turning to face whoever it was and praying the tears hadn't made his face splotchy. 

"He shouldn't treat you like that," Gerard said. Frank flinched when he saw him. 

“Uh, hi, did you hear that?" Frank asked timidly, despite the answer being quite obvious. He angrily swiped a tear away. The last thing he wanted was Gerard to see him cry. 

Gerard didn't answer, and instead grabbed Frank's arm and brought him behind one of the nearby food booths. The scents of different types of fair food mixed in the air. Frank looked at the ground, insecure of his red, teary eyes. 

"I'm going to give you some advice, because I'm your friend, and I care about you," Gerard said. "You shouldn't be with him." 

For whatever reason, this made Frank cry harder. Gerard would never, ever understand, no matter what Frank said. 

"It's more complicated than you think," Frank began. There was no use in wiping away the tears anymore; they just kept coming. "I know what this looks like, and yeah, that was out of line, but he's not normally that bad." 

Gerard sighed. "Frank, seeing that literally made me angry. Even at his worst, he shouldn't be treating you like that. I just want to help you. Look, you're crying!" 

"I'll be okay," Frank said as he shook his head. "Can we please just go and do something? That would make me feel better, if anything." 

In an odd form of defeat, Gerard nodded. For a moment, they surveyed the carnival ground. In the distance, against the quickly setting sun, the flashing lights of a Ferris wheel were visible. They noticed it at the same time. 

"You down?" Gerard said. 

"Always.” 


	3. Chapter 3

"What do you want most in the world?"

"To get out of this stupid meeting," Gerard whispered to Frank. They both sat in the very back of the conference room, making it a bit too easy to mock Brendon without him hearing.

"To go home," Lindsey Ballato said aloud, earning quite a few laughs from her coworkers. She pushed a black lock of shoulder-length hair behind her ear and glanced over at Gerard. Gerard had been received quite a few glances from her lately, and he could only pray to God that they didn't mean anything. 

"What about a vacation?" Brendon said. "Somewhere far away from New Jersey."

It was Frank's turn to call out. "I could get behind that." He was almost scared to hope for a vacation, far, far away, though. What if it never happened? What if he had to stay in New Jersey, living with Mark, forever? 

"Glad to hear that, Frank," Brendon said with a wink. "As some of you may know, we're opening a brand new storage until development down in Florida. However, what you don't know..." 

He drummed his hand on his thigh, a half-hearted dramatic effect. 

"We're due there in a week for the grand opening!" Brendon cheered. After hearing the announcement, the conference room exploded in joyous ambiance. "Settle down, all. We'll be there for a whole seven days, all expenses paid."

Gerard's smile could hardly contain itself, and Frank was on the moon. While just about every employee in the room seemed to be smiling their face off, Frank would've loved to bet that he was the happiest. Two weeks without Mark was more than a dream; it was heaven.

 

After work, nobody could see themselves going home just yet, so they decided to go out for ice cream.

Frank had even called Mark to avoid interrogation when he got home, and Mark didn't seem to be in a bad mood when he told Frank it was fine.

Gerard got strawberry ice cream in a waffle cone, while Frank got vanilla in a cup. However, when Gerard dumped his cone into Frank's cup, they realized that the taste was best with the two flavors combined.

Meanwhile, Lindsey had found herself beside Frank and Gerard. Frank couldn't help but notice how she laughed at all of Gerard's jokes, even their inside jokes that Lindsey couldn't have possibly known.

"So," she eventually said. "What are you doing tomorrow, Gerard?" 

"Saturday?" Gerard asked between scoops of him and Frank's creation. "Uh, I don't think I'm doing anything. Why?"

Frank had lost interest, so he turned to his right and began a conversation with Sarah, the office's receptionist. They spoke about celebrity crushes for a while, then real love interests. 

"How's Mark?" Sarah asked. Everyone knew Mark, as he'd been coming to company events as Frank's date for years. Another reason why a breakup would be difficult. 

"He's pretty good," Frank lied. "Uh, he's looking for a job currently."

"Oh, I'm sure Brendon would hire him," Sarah gushed. "Brendon's the sweetest."

The thought of Mark working in the same office made Frank sick to his stomach. Even though all of his coworkers adored Mark, Frank knew Mark didn't care. Something would set Mark off, and they'd be arguing in front of everyone within the first hour.

Frank smiled and waved her off. "No, I'm sure Mark will find something... in his area of profession. But Brendon, huh?"

Sarah shook her head, a sheepish smile making its way into her face. "Don't tell him, alright? Like I'd ever get a chance with him." She spoke of him like she was talking about an otherworldly figure, something intangible.

Frank shot a glance across the ice cream parlor, and found Brendon laughing obnoxiously with a few coworkers. Other customers were eyeing him with disproval, but Brendon was oblivious.

"He might be more within reach than you think," Frank said. Sarah only smiled and looked down at her ice cream.

Frank looked to his left.

"Alright, comic book store at twelve. Gotcha. See you then," Gerard was saying to Lindsey, who was walking away. It seemed like she was walking in slow motion, though. Perhaps it was because she turned to smile at Gerard every couple of seconds. 

"Ooh, looks like you have a date," Frank teased once Lindsey had left.

"Don't call it that," Gerard said. "No. For it to be a date, I think I'd have to be romantically or sexually interested in her. Both elude me."

"Really? You don't have any interest in her?" Frank wasn't convinced. "She's so pretty, though. And funny."

"If I fell for every pretty and funny person I met, my life would be hell," Gerard said softly. "No, she's not my type."

-  
"Mark?" Frank called as soon as he opened the door. "Mark, are you awake?"

He stayed out longer than he'd meant to. Really, Frank had wanted to come home by nine, but he just couldn't keep track of time; he hadn't had so much fun in years. 

"I'm awake," Mark's voice called from the living room. He was sat in darkness, the only source of light being the flashing, blaring television that cast a blue hue on Mark's face.

"Hey," Frank said, kicking off his shoes and taking the five steps it took to get from the front door to the living room. "I'm sorry I'm back so late. I lost track of time."

Mark shrugged. "Was Gerard there?"

Frank raised an eyebrow. "Of course he was. Why?"

"Just wondering. I don't think I want you hanging out with Gerard anymore."

"What?" Frank exclaimed. "What's wrong with him? You can't tell me not to hang out with people just 'cause you feel like it, you know."

"Maybe he's the reason you've been acting weird lately," Mark said slowly, letting his words sink in. He leaned over to the coffee table and lowered the television's volume with the remote.

"You're not accusing me of what I think you are," Frank said, backing up. Mark shrugged. "Gerard's straight!"

"Is that it?" Mark said. "That's the only reason why you're not fucking him?"

"I'm with you, Mark!" Frank shouted. "I don't know about you, or what you think other people do, but I'm loyal!" 

"Like I said a couple days ago, you've got to stop acting like a brat," Mark mumbled. He slowly stood from the couch. "You're lucky I'm dating you. Otherwise, you'd probably have no one."

Frank wouldn't let himself cry again. His hands turned to fists at his sides.

"Stop saying that."

"I'll stop saying it when it's not true."

"Just because you're so insecure, you're jealous of my younger, way more attractive friend, doesn't mean you get to talk to me that way," Frank said. "I'm a person, too. Stop treating me like garbage. Like I can't process what you say to me."

For the first time in a long time, Frank felt firm with what he was doing. His heart was beating a million miles per hour, sure, but still, he felt taller than ever before.

"What did you say to me?!" Mark's volume increased drastically, and Frank found his heart sinking into his stomach. Maybe standing up to Mark wasn't so brave after all, and perhaps more stupid than anything else.

"I'm sorry," Frank said, backing himself into a corner. "Mark, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's not true."

"Is it really not true?" Mark said, following Frank into the corner, knocking over a lamp in the process. "Because that was pretty on the spot to be made up." 

"Mark, I'm sorry," Frank tried. "Mark, I love you. You're just mad, please don't do anything crazy."

Mark angled his elbow upward. Frank squinted. He wasn't quite sure what Mark had planned, but he kept his arms firmly to his sides. Whatever it was, it couldn't be anything too terrible. Through all the fights, the arguments, the disagreements, and the jealousies, Mark had never physically harmed Frank. There was no reason to believe now was any different.

"Say you won't see Gerard again," Mark said, elbow still cocked, in the air. His hand began to bunch up.

Frank gulped. He breathed in and out, but nothing could aid his rapidly beating heart. Since when had Gerard become a problem?

"I can't say that, Mark," Frank said. "This is crazy. I would never cheat on you. I... love you?"

"If you love me, you'll say it," Mark growled. Even with only the TV illuminating his face, Mark's face had turned visibly redder. 

"I'm not going to say it," Frank said, though he wondered why not. It wasn't like he had to do it, even if he said it. 

"That's it."

"What's it?"

Mark's fist came flying toward Frank. Spots of black dominated Frank's vision before he could even process the throbbing sensation in his left cheek. Holding his face, he looked up at Mark, face contorted into an expression he'd never managed before.

Over the sound of the two men breathing heavily, Mark said nothing. He only stepped backward, the red slowly leaving his face. 

 

-

"Gerard," Frank whispered under his breath, putting his finger on the doorbell for what seemed like the millionth time. His voice, despite hushed to a mumble, echoed throughout the otherwise silent hallway. From rows upon rows of identical white doors, Frank would never know how he was able to identify Gerard's place.

If Frank hated anything most, it was being a burden, and the fact that he was obviously being one right now continued to slap him in the face.

He didn't want to be waiting outside Gerard's apartment at midnight. After all Gerard had done for him while he was sick, he couldn't bear the thought of abusing Gerard's hospitality again.

Finally, Gerard's door clicked, then eased open. Out stepped Gerard, currently clad in plaid pajama pants and a black, oversized T-shirt. He squinted at first, and seemed unable to process the sobbing, heavily-breathing Frank before him. 

"Frank?"

"I'm sorry," Frank blubbered. "I'm so, so sorry. After all you've done already, I didn't want to bother you. I just had nowhere else to go. I'm sorry. If you want me to leave, I really will."

Gerard shook his head, likely bewildered. "No, no, I wasn't sleeping anyway. Come in."

Frank followed Gerard into his house, into his living room, then plopped onto one of the couches.

"What's wrong?" Gerard sat himself beside Frank. He gently laid a hand on Frank's shoulder. "In exchange for my hospitality, I'd like an explanation."

"Mark," Frank began. His breathing hadn't gotten any better, and he continued to sound like a panting dog. "I got home late, and he was mad. One thing led to another, and then..."

Frank pointed to his left cheek, which Gerard leaned over to see. "There might not be anything there, so sorry if that's the case. However, it _felt_ hard."

Gerard's mouth hung open, almost dumbly. He didn't say anything, and instead ran a finger over the spot where Frank had pointed.

"Frank," Gerard said slowly, like Frank was a child. "There's a big bruise here. He hit you?"

"Yeah," Frank said. "I don't know how it happened. Mark has never hit me before."

"He treated you terrible, though," Gerard argued. "Hitting you was just the cherry on top."

"I know," Frank said, putting his head in his hands. "It's true, he's awful, and I hate being with him, but you don't understand. There's not much else I can do."

"You could always stay with me," Gerard offered. He'd moved his hand to Frank's upper back. "As a friend, I can't watch you sit and be abused."

Frank shook his head. "It's not abuse, he's just a terrible person." Gerard opened his mouth to argue, but Frank continued. "And I'm not going to stay with you. I can't just crash at your place and turn your life upside down. I respect you way too much to do that, and I know you're too nice to say no, so I'm doing it for you. After tonight, I've realized I can't stay there, so believe me, I'm going to leave. I'll just go to a hotel or something." 

Gerard frowned. "If you don't want to stay here, update me on wherever you go. Seriously, I want to know."

"I will," Frank said with a nod. "Tomorrow morning, I'll go back to there, collect my things, and then I'm out."

Internally, Gerard beamed. Externally, he nodded supportively. 

-

Long after Frank had gone to sleep on the living room couch, Gerard wandered out of his bedroom and into the kitchen. As he made himself a cup of tea, he stared out his window at the dozens of headlights continually flashing along the road.

Hope was on the horizon, he could tell. Maybe life would work out the way he wanted after all. Once all the Mark business was said and done, Gerard could come out to Frank as gay.

Slowly but surely, Gerard was inching closer to the prize.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but very important chapter

Frank didn't leave Mark. 

On his way home from Gerard's, he'd planned exactly what to say, what to do, and what to take. Whatever it took, he would get out of that house. However, the moment he returned, Mark had locked him in a hug, apologizing nonstop. Frank found it easier to simply go along with it. 

For the remainder of the weekend, Frank worried about what he'd tell Gerard. They hadn't spoken since Friday night, and Frank hadn't been answering Gerard's last couple of texts. Even in Sunday's last hours, Frank pondered over the right words to use. 

On Monday, though, Frank's worries proved futile. He never had to say anything, because when Mark dropped him off at work, Gerard was standing right there. Once Mark drove away, Frank ran up to Gerard. 

"Listen," Frank said, "I know what I said on Friday, but things are complicated right now. I'm sorry. I need some time to think things over."

"I see," Gerard said, opening the doors to the office and letting Frank in front of him. His lips formed a thin line. "I hope you get things figured out, then."

"You're not mad, are you?" Frank asked. He'd picked up on Gerard's unusual tone immediately. Gerard, in response, sighed. "Come on, you don't get it! It isn't as easy as picking up your things and leaving."

"I shouldn't be mad," Gerard began slowly. "I know that. I don't know what it's like to be in your situation, and I'm not in the place to criticize the decisions you make. You have to understand, though, you came to me, all beaten up, and explained you were in a dangerous situation."

Frank lightly touched the bruise on his left cheek, which had since been covered with makeup. "I know. It wasn't fair of me to involve you in this. I wasn't thinking clearly. I'm sorry."

"To not even text me back though?" Gerard said, giving Frank a look that was more defeated than anything else. They came to the staircase and began climbing it. "I was so afraid for you. The whole weekend, I couldn't enjoy anything I did. Lindsey had to keep asking me what was wrong."

"I didn't think of it like that." Frank wanted to cry. "I'm so, so sorry. The last thing I want to do is worry you." 

"You don't have to be sorry. Here's the thing, though," Gerard spoke slowly, like he really wanted his words to be digested individually. "I won't be intervene in your life anymore. I think it only causes more problems for both of us."

"That's fair," Frank said, climbing the last stair. "I get that."

"I'm glad," Gerard responded, walking slightly ahead of him and opening another door. "Of course, we'll be working together still, so any work talk is fine, I guess."

"What?" Frank stopped. "You don't even want to be friends?"

"I told you," Gerard said, "it causes unnecessary problems for both of us. That happened just a second ago. Don't you remember?"

Over the weekend, Gerard decided he was done pining after someone who would never make up their mind. His crush didn't go away overnight, but he'd accepted that the chances of he and Frank being together were next to none, and that he needed to begin the process of moving on. 

Frank and Gerard walked into the office side by side, yet in so many ways, so far apart. Brendon greeted them cheerfully, unaware of the major shift their relationship had just underwent. 

"Now that everyone is here," Brendon called out, his eyes remaining on Frank and Gerard. "We have a new employee with us. Bert, if you could come over here, please."

Everyone's eyes went to the far end of the office, where a short, black-haired man stepped out of a cubicle and walked toward the front of the room. 

"Hi," he said once he was facing everyone. "I'm Bert McCracken."I'll be working in Human Resources."

"Thanks for joining us, Bert," Brendon said, then clapped Bert on the back.

Frank, very uninterested in the new employee, turned back to his computer. As time went on, he wondered what he was going to do for lunch. Usually, he and Gerard ate together in the break room, but since their friendship had come to a sudden end, would they still eat together? Frank guessed not.

When lunch time finally came around, Frank made his way to the break room anyway. Maybe he could try talking to Gerard again. Maybe Gerard had changed his mind.

When Frank walked into the break room, he immediately noticed that Gerard was not alone. Bert McCracken sat beside him. They were laughing so much, Frank thought they looked more like old friends than coworkers who had only known each other for an hour. 

Before either of them saw him, Frank turned and went back to his desk. Had Gerard really found a new friend that quickly? Did Frank really mean so little, that he could be thrown away and replaced in less than a day? 

 

The next few days were lonely ones. Without Gerard, Frank found himself with Mark more often than he would've liked. 

Mark hadn't been particularly bad since he'd hit Frank, but it had been years since Frank had fallen out of love with him, and spending time with him was torture nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Gerard and Bert's friendship was blossoming. It seemed like they didn't spend a second of the work day without each other. Frank wouldn't have cared so much if it hadn't been for the fact that Bert was so obviously Frank's replacement. 

On Friday afternoon, Frank packed up his things and left at exactly five. There wasn't anyone to stay around and talk to anymore. However, when he made his way outside the office doors, he noticed it was raining. It would be very hard to _not_ notice the rain, as it pounded violently on the pavement below, like the ground was being punished. As well as Frank.

Frank decided that he wouldn't and couldn't walk to his car in these conditions without an umbrella, so he turned around, trekked back up the stairs, in search of the umbrella he remembered he kept in his desk.

Usually, even five minutes after five o'clock, the entire office was silent. Nobody ever wanted to stay longer than necessary. This time, though, Frank thought he could hear a faint noise coming from inside the office. 

Instead of opening the door and walking inside first, Frank peeked through one of the windows beside the door. His eyes wandered for a moment, then came to a grinding halt.

There, in the middle of the office, stood Bert and Gerard. And they were making out profusely. 

Suddenly, Frank decided he didn't need an umbrella anymore. He turned, went back down the stairs, and allowed himself to be pelted by heavy rain on the way to his car.

Bert and Gerard? Really? And Gerard, gay? Really? Nothing made sense anymore. On his way home, Frank thought he was going to throw up. When he got home, the feeling didn't get any better.

"How was work?" Mark asked the moment Frank stepped in the door. He'd been making efforts to be nicer, but it didn't make him any less repulsive. 

"Fine," Frank said. He set his briefcase down on the kitchen table and made way for their bedroom. "I have to pack for the company trip. It's Monday."

"Oh," Mark said. He followed Frank into the bedroom. "Fun." 

Frank went into his closet and picked an armful of shirts at random. _Bert and Gerard_? After setting those on him and Mark's bed, he began rummaging in his pants drawers. _Gerard, gay?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry in all my stories, it seems like Bert and Gerard end up together first :,( Bert is just a really good plot toy. 
> 
> Also, should I start putting my stories on wattpad?????


	5. Chapter 5

The office bustled with activity. 

Waking up at five a.m was not a simple task, but the fact that they were going to Florida for half a month seemed to lure everyone out of bed and in the office on time. 

After he had put everything of his in place, Frank stood by the office's doorway, awkward and by himself. Had it been a month earlier, he and Gerard would've been laughing and joking together. 

Meanwhile, Bert and Gerard stood by Bert's desk, kissing each other's hands and not noticing the stares they got, or maybe just not caring. Their relationship had become obvious to most people in the office. Maybe it was just Frank, but he'd always assumed Gerard was straight. He also wondered how someone like Gerard could ever find himself with someone like Bert. Bert had chin-length greasy hair and piles of random crap were always on his desk, while Frank knew for a fact that Gerard showered twice a day and preferred to keep things spotless. Not only were they an unlikely couple, they were a bad one. Or at least, Frank thought so.

Frank couldn't help but think _friend stealer_ whenever Bert walked by. It was so ridiculously juvenile, and Frank was fully aware of how immature it was, but he couldn't help it. Gerard had been one of his closest friends in Belleville, and Bert had swooped him away in less than a day. 

"Excited?" Frank jumped. He'd been staring at Bert and Gerard and hadn’t noticed anyone approach him. He looked over to find Lindsey, a single black suitcase in her hand. Less than a week ago, she’d gone on a sort-of-date with Gerard. Frank wondered how she felt now, seeing Gerard being all lovey-dovey with a dude. He gave her a half-wave, half-nod. She leaned over and whispered, "I saw you looking at Bert and Gerard. I don't like it either."

Frank played ignorant. "What are you talking about? You don't like _what_ , now?"

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "Don't make it so obvious you're staring next time. If I hadn't stopped you, everyone would've noticed eventually. How embarrassing. Anyway, it's madness, isn't it? Since when was Gerard a gay man?"

Frank looked left, then right, then leaned in to Lindsey and widened his eyes. "I know, right? It's crazy."

"I think Bert put something in his lunch," Lindsey said with a giggle. "Even if Gerard is gay, the last person he'd want to be gay with is such a—“

"Greasy, smelly, unkempt mess."

"Exactly."

They looked over again, and Gerard and Bert were sitting on Gerard's desk, holding hands. Frank felt something twinge inside of him, though he couldn't explain why. At least he wasn't Lindsey, who, next to him, appeared to be physically twitching. 

"Really, ridiculous," she mumbled. Her and Frank rolled their eyes together. 

"Alright!" Brendon's voice rose above the dozen side conversations taking place. "It's time to go out to the shuttle and get to the airport." A group of people cheered. "If you're ready, you're ready. Be there or be square."

 

-  
Lindsey stuck by Frank in the airport. She continued to make comments about Bert and Gerard. Frank was usually always inclined to trash on Bert, but even _he_ was annoyed with how much Lindsey was dragging it on. It got to a point where he wanted to shake her and beg her to stop. 

He was able to lose her by the time they boarded the plane, and Frank found himself sitting beside Brendon. While he usually would've loved to chat up a storm (and maybe talk his way into a raise), the hours of sleep he'd missed by waking up early began to catch up with him. Minutes after the plane took off, Frank leaned back in his seat and fell asleep. 

 

Florida was beautiful, warm, and everything New Jersey wasn't. Maybe Frank once had a soft spot for New Jersey long ago, but Mark’s existence and the loss of Gerard had since tainted that. 

Brendon led everyone to a shuttle outside the airport, which drove through a long highway and to a tropical-themed hotel along a beach.

"Woah," Lindsey said, stepping out of the van and looking around. "How much did this cost, Brendon?"

"Not my problem," Brendon replied. "Ask the company."

They quickly arranged who would be staying in which hotel room, and it surprised no one that Gerard and Bert ended up together. Just because Frank wasn't surprised, though, didn't mean he liked it. 

When Frank had talked Brendon into giving him his own personal hotel room, he quickly made for the elevator, forever abstaining from looking at his ex best friend.

The room was nice, clean, and had a good view of the beach. It had a balcony. The scent of saltwater filled the air, even with the windows closed, making the experience even more real and less like Jersey. However, something still felt missing.

Frank wasn't in love with Mark. He hadn't been in love with Mark for years. If it wasn't Mark, did Frank love anyone? Did he have to love anyone?

There was something about the way Frank felt whenever Gerard would do something nice for him, that he hadn't been able to identify before. Now that Gerard was obviously into men, Frank had begun to realize that his feelings made more sense. What if he was in love with Gerard?

Frank laid his suitcase on his bed and unpacked his things. He prayed to God that he wasn't in love with Gerard. Even if Bert wasn't in the equation at all, Frank knew for a fact that he was way out of Gerard's league. Someone like Gerard wouldn't waste their time on someone like Frank in a million years. Frank knew this. He rolled over on his bed, wrinkling the clothes he'd unpacked in the process, and sighed. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

_Dinner and dance tonight_ , a mass text from Brendon read. _Dress nice. Meet in the lobby in an hour. I'll assign cabs._

Dread fell over Frank immediately after he read the word "dance." If he saw Bert and Gerard dancing, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to handle it. And that was when he realized he was in love with Gerard.

He chose a black suit/black tie for the affair. When he'd worn it to a company dinner a year ago, Gerard complimented him and the way it fit so nicely. Frank hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now. . .

-  
The small room in which the buffet and dance floor were held was small and cramped. It reeked of flowery perfume and a hint of body odor, like someone had realized the bad smell of the place, and figured spraying a toxic amount of perfume would solve everything.

When Frank first arrived, he tried to find Brendon. However, when he noticed that Brendon and Sarah were sitting with each other, he moved along and found himself with Lindsey again.

"Bad idea to have us dance after we eat," Lindsey said when Frank sat beside her. "That's literally the perfect recipe for vomit."

Frank snorted.

Meanwhile, Bert and Gerard had blocked out the rest of the world. They sat in the very back, giggling and doing who-knew-what else under the table. It should have been difficult for Frank to get a good look at them, as they were directly behind him, but Frank found himself leaning back in his chair while "stretching" anyway.

Soon, dinner was over, and employees of Storage U from various parts of New Jersey began to trickle on the dance floor. 

Frank really thought he could handle it, and made his way on with Lindsey, Brendon, and Sarah. Multicolored lights flashed throughout the small space, and a DJ that seemed a bit too old to be a DJ sat behind a giant speaker, not straying very far from popular 70's music. 

So Frank danced for a while, and he enjoyed seeing Brendon and Sarah bond over music their parents probably listened to, but then he decided to look past Lindsey and further outward. He saw Bert and Gerard, and he couldn't handle it. 

He excused himself and retreated into the bathroom.

Once he was alone in the terribly lit, empty bathroom, Frank allowed himself a deep breath. For whatever reason, breathing was a difficult task at the moment.

The bathroom's harsh yellow lighting wasn't doing Frank's face any favors, so when he heard the door open, he made an attempt to turn away. Quickly, he reached out for the paper towel dispenser and ripped off a rough, sandpaper-esque towel. He proceeded to dab it on his face, like he was blotting away sweat.

"Are you okay?"

Frank turned, hastily, and hit his elbow on the paper towel dispenser in the process. "Gerard?”

Gerard's suit had become a bit wrinkled and disheveled (only God knew how), but it did nothing to take away from how attractive he was. In fact, paired with his neck-length, now ruffled-but-still-clean black hair, it almost made him more attractive. 

"I said, are you okay? You don't look okay," Gerard said softly, in a tone that portrayed just how caring of a person he was. Frank was still having problems breathing, so he let out a heavy breath, eyeing Gerard all the while.

"I've been better," Frank said. He looked around for a moment, then looked back up and made direct eye contact with Gerard. "I made a mistake."

"A mistake?" Gerard said in a half-serious manner, like he hadn't spent the last two weeks making Frank beyond miserable. "Do tell."

"It's about you," Frank said, trying to get the words out as fast as he could, like Gerard would turn and walk out at any moment. "I don't think I have feelings for Mark. I have feelings for you."

Gerard bit his lip. It was clear he didn't know what to say. His silence cast a wave of discomfort over Frank. For a while, they stood there, in the poorly illuminated, dingy-looking bathroom that smelled a bit too strongly of flower perfume. 

"For years," Gerard began, "I liked you. I know we're not in eighth grade, and you'll probably cringe hearing this, but I had the biggest crush on you."

Frank didn't cringe. He may have smiled and blushed a bit, but cringing was beyond him. He didn't say anything, and instead nodded at Gerard to continue. 

Gerard continued. "It was so bad. You didn't even know I was gay, and you were dating Mark—who's an asshole, full offense—and I didn't know what to do. There wasn't really anything _to_ do. I obviously had no chance, yet I continued to let my heart explode every time you walked into a room."

"I'm sorry you felt that way," Frank said, casting a glance to the floor, which was scattered with wet toilet paper. "Seriously. I wish you would've told me."

"What's done is done. Something about that night two Fridays ago, where you said you'd leave Mark and never did, made me realize that I was never going to have you. I begged myself to start moving on, so I did. I found Bert." Gerard looked down, took a long pause, then looked up again. "That doesn't mean years worth of feelings went away overnight. It doesn't mean I don't feel the same way when you walk into a room."

Frank took a deep breath. "So, what do we do?"

"I don't think there's anything to do," Gerard said. "We both move on, I guess."

"We both have feelings for each other," Frank pointed out.

Gerard smiled. "Well, I'm already on the path to moving on. And you, you'll know how I've felt for the last few years."

"Gerard, I don't want to do that. I can't do it."

Gerard ignored him. "We can still be friends. I don't think things have been the same without us talking."

"Can we talk about this a little more, please?"

"Goodbye, Frank," Gerard said with a half-smile, then turned and walked out of the bathroom.

The quiet that fell upon Frank after Gerard left made his heart ache. 

"I can't move on," Frank said to the empty bathroom.


	6. Chapter 6

The sound of waves crashing through the slightly opened window would've served as a fine lull to sleep, if Frank could even get his eyes shut. 

After his encounter with Gerard, sleep simply couldn't happen. All Frank could do was sit, wide-eyed, and mentally replay Gerard's words over and over. _I've liked you for years_. How had Frank been so oblivious, and why did he have to find out now, when Gerard's feelings were finally fading?

It was long past midnight, and the entire hotel seemed fast asleep. So when Frank's phone buzzed, he flinched in surprise. If it was another mass text from Brendon, Frank would probably block his number. He reached for his phone and tapped the _on_ button. 

_U up?_ a text from Gerard read. After he'd read the message, Frank's fingers fumbled and he dropped the phone over the bed and onto the carpeted floor. 

_Yeah_ , Frank texted back once he'd regained control of his phone. _What's up?_

 _We need to talk_ , Gerard replied. _Meet me in the lobby. 5min._

Frank looked down at the messy gray T-shirt he was wearing and immediately went through his suitcase in search of a nicer one.

 

Six minutes later, Frank had just exited the elevator and was making his way into the hotel lobby. His eyes hastily scanned the room--which only contained about a dozen people anyway--and soon found Gerard standing by the front doors. 

He jogged up to Gerard, and when he got to him, Frank didn't quite know what to say. Given their previous face-to-face conversation, there wasn't much they'd left off on. 

"I'd prefer if we went outside. Is that okay?" Gerard said, and Frank only nodded. He was pretty sure if he spoke, he would lose his breath. 

Once they were outside, they strayed off the hotel path and started for the beach, where there was absolutely no one besides themselves. They had gotten decently far from the hotel when Gerard spoke again.

"I've been thinking about what happened earlier tonight, and I can't stop thinking about it," Gerard said. "I couldn't sleep, really."

"I'm in the same situation," Frank said cautiously. He stopped for a moment. "Does Bert know you're here?"

Gerard sighed. "No. We had a fight a couple hours ago, so I'm sleeping in a cot instead of the bed. It was more than easy to just slip out."

"Oh," Frank said. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Gerard looked to his left, then to his right, and gestured for Frank to sit down. After Frank sat, Gerard followed suit. The slightly wet sand was a bit more than uncomfortable, but Frank could only focus on the other man, illuminated by nothing but the moonlight. 

"I can't get over you," Gerard said over the sound of crashing waves, looking Frank directly in the eyes. "I know I technically probably can, but not now, and probably not years from now. Listen, Bert is okay, and he's not a bad guy, and he treats me okay, but the only reason I'm with him is because of you. I really only got with him to get over you. I thought I would be able to do it, but after I heard you felt the same way, my brain exploded. I'm not being fair to Bert, and I'm not being fair to you, keeping all this from you."

Frank said nothing.

What could he say? Gerard had said it all. They didn't break eye contact, though Frank desperately wanted to. He'd do anything to escape Gerard's piercing gaze. Without thinking much of it, he leaned over and kissed Gerard. Gerard kissed back immediately. 

After a blissful moment, Frank pulled away. "This is wrong. You're with Bert. He doesn't even know where you are right now."

"You're 'with' Mark," Gerard said, then leaned forward to kiss Frank again. Frank shook his head.

"Even if you break up with Bert, it's gonna be so weird," Frank pointed out. "You'll have to move out of his room, and we'll have to see him a lot over the next two weeks. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Gerard said, and kissed Frank again. 

-  
"It was one fight," Bert called out to Gerard, who was lugging his suitcase along the carpeted hotel floor. "You're going to let one fight break us up?"

He knew he should've told Bert the real reason. It was either now or whenever Bert caught sight of him and Frank in the next two weeks. But every time Gerard had tried to tell Bert, he simply couldn't find the proper words. 

Gerard continued pulling his suitcase until he got to the elevator. Bert followed. 

"I don't want this to end," Bert said. Gerard pressed the up button and looked over at him. Still in his pajamas, with his hair looking beyond greasy, Bert looked almost pathetic. "Can we talk some more, please? And where are you going to go?"

Gerard sighed. "I talked to Brendon, and he gave me another room. Anyway, I can't be with you. I don't love you. This isn't fair to you or me. I will never regret the times we've had together, but it's time to bring this to a close. The longer I wait, the worse it'll get."

Bert looked at him blankly. "This isn't fair to me, Gerard. The way you're doing this is cruel."

The elevator dinged and slid open. "It's more than fair," Gerard said. "Why would you want to be with someone who doesn't love you?"

He immediately regretted his word choice. As the elevator doors closed, Gerard forced himself to look at Bert, whose face seemed to be crumbling. Gerard did love Bert, but not romantically. He knew he shouldn't have ended things so abruptly, and so cruelly, but when he was finally given the opportunity to be with Frank--the guy he'd been in love with for years--he knew he had to jump on the chance. 

Also, Bert had been feeding into the slowly worsening cocaine addiction he'd had since nineteen, so perhaps it was a good idea to steer clear of that anyway.

-  
"This is weird."

"So weird," Gerard agreed. They sat on the very bed Frank had struggled to sleep on the night before. Frank thought it was poetic, in a way. It was midday, and while most of the office was at the beach, Frank and Gerard decided they needed time to talk in private first. 

"I want to know more about the crush you've apparently had on me for years," Frank teased. 

"God," Gerard said. "It really was years. From the moment you started talking to me, probably. Or maybe when Brendon introduced you for the first time. Do you know how beautiful you are, by the way?"

Frank's face grew warm. "Shut up."

"Anyway," Gerard continued, "I was like, so ready to make a move on you, but one day, this guy comes in with your lunch, and he says his name is..."

Gerard trailed off, and his eyes widened. 

"What?" Frank said.

"Mark. What are we going to do about Mark? Does he know?"

Frank's eyes widened along with Gerard, though he'd thought about this before. The second he and Gerard kissed for the first time, Mark was on Frank's mind. It was unfair, really, but guilt was a thing that often dominated Frank's everyday life. 

"No, he doesn't know," Frank said. "If he finds out while I'm not there, who knows what he'll do? I'll tell Mark and move out the second we're back in Jersey, though. Promise."

Gerard nodded. "Well, anyway, Mark came in, said he was your boyfriend, and I was devastated. I'm not even exaggerating. I'm pretty sure my heart fell in on itself. It wasn't long before I figured out he was like, the worst person in the world, though, and then I was just mad. I wanted to take you by the shoulders and shake you, and tell you to stop wasting your life with a guy who doesn't treat you the way you deserve to be treated."

"I always knew you didn't like him," Frank began, then laughed, "I just never pieced together that it was for that reason. I guess I thought you were straight. Remember when I teased you about that date with Lindsey?"

"God," Gerard said, remembering. He leaned backward and positioned his head on a pillow. "I wanted to be like, NOOOOOO!! I can't say I ever wanted to give you any hints, though. I just did the stupid thing, and sat around and hoped you would fall in love with me on your own."

"I think I did at some point," Frank said slowly. He began tracing his fingers over Gerard's arm, which was so pale, it could have been a vampire's. "I just didn't know it. I always found myself admiring how good you look, or how handsome you are, but I dismissed it as platonic? Looking back on it, I just don't think I wanted to admit it to myself."


End file.
